Window shade



C. BRANDT WINDOW SHADE Jan. 5, 1932.,

a 20 Fig.6.zl

Filed Jan. 23. 1951 m A. 8 m .4

lnvenTor. Carl BrundT B IZ$MWI v claims.

Patented Jan. 5,' .1932 i UNITED STAT Es oFF cE CARL BRANDT, or JAMAICA PIJAIN,MASSACHUSETTS w nnow SHADE Application filed January 23, 1931. Serial no. 510,629..

ihis invention relates to window shades and has for its general object to provide a novel window shade which is constructed so that'the lower end or bottom of the shade Fig. l is a view of the lower portion of a window having the usual draper es and equipped with my improved shade.

Fig. 2 is a similar View showing a different embodiment of my invention. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective View of one form of joint for connecting sections of the stick.

Fig. 4 shows one of the parts used in making this joint. 5

Fig. 5 is a side elevation and F g. 61s a plan view of diflerent forins'ofjoint.

Fig. 7 shows another form of the invention. Window shades are universally provided at their lower ends with a stick which extends the width of the shade and is located in a hem formed on the lower end of the shade, this stick serving to hold the bottom edge of the window shade flat and prevent the corners from curling. In drawing a shade it not infrequently happens that the lower corners of the shade will become caught or entangled either in any draperies which may be hung at the window or in the tie-backs V for the draperies.

As stated above, an object of my present invention is to provide a novel shade construction which will prevent the lower corners of the shade from'becoming caught in the draperies or the tie-backs when the shade a is drawn, thus permitting the shade to be freely drawn without paying any particular attention to the draperies or tie-backs.

This objectis accomplished by employing a stick at the bottom edge of the shade which is so constructed-that the ends thereof can yield upwardly in case they engage the tieback s'or draperies as theshade is drawn, thus allowing the ends of the stick to wipe by the obstruction without damage either to the shade, draperies or tie-backs. Oneway of providing this is. to make the stick in sections whichuare flexibly connected together. With this construction, the stick functions to hold the lower edge of the shade'i'iat and prevent the corners from curling but becauseof the jointed or articulated character of the stick" theouter ends thereofmay yield upwardly if thereois any tendencyfor the corners of the shade to catch in the draperies or tie-backs, such upward yielding movement allowing the shade to wipe by the draperies or tiebacks without injury to either. Another way of providing for this is to make the stick of some material which is suiiiciently flexible to permit the ends thereofgto yield upwardly.

in case they become caught in the tie-backs,

etc.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a window shade of usual construction which is hung. at

the window 2. 3 indicates draperies which;

are also hung at't-he WlDClOW' andd are tiebacks thatare commonly used for tying the lower end of the draperies back against the window-frame; v I

My improved shade is formed with a hem 5 at its lower end to receive the stick as usual in Window shades. The stick which I employ, however is constructed so that the ends can flex upwardly if theybecome caught in the tie-backs or draperies. In the construc-,.

tionshown in Figs. 1 and 2, this end is accom- 8 .plishedby making the stick ointed or articulated. This stick is shown at 6 and it c0mprises the two sections 7 and 8 which are joined together centrally of the shade 1, the joint being such as to permit the ends of the sections and 8 to; swing upwardly; Any suitable joint construction may be used which will permit of this operation.

'Asshownin Fig. 3, this joint is formed from a wire loop 9, the sides 10 of which incline upwardly and inwardly toward each other and means for hinging each section 7 or 8'of the stick to one of the sides, Such means is'constituted by a metalstrip 11 which may be made narrower at its central portion as at 12 and which is bent into U shape with the ends thereof embracing the ends of one of the sections of the stick, the narrower portion 12 being formed into a loop 13 which embraces and encircles one of the sides 10 of the loop 9. The pull cord 14 for manipulating the shade is preferably attached to the bottom of this loop 9 as shown.

\Vith this construction the stick 6 will function as the usual one-piece stick does so 'far as normally holding the lower end of the shade flat is concerned. However, if during the lowering of the shade either corner thereof engages either the draperies 3 or the tie-back 4, such engagement will cause the outer end of the corresponding sticksection to swing upwardly slightly, as shown by .dotted lines, Fig. 2, thus allowing the stick 'to wipe by the draperies or the tie-backs with out damaging either the shade or the hangings. As soon as the lower edges of'the shade are free from the draperies or tie-backs, the sections of the stick will assume their operative position in line with each other thereby correctly holding the lower edge of theshade flat.

If desired, the shade may be provided with a V-slit 16 at the central portion directly above the joint. The presence of such a slit will prevent any tendency of the shade to become cracked or creased at the joint of the stick due to the flexing of the stick whenever the curtain becomes caught in the draperies or tie-backs.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have illustrated a different embodiment of the invention which shows a. different manner of pivotally con necting the sections of the stick. In this embodiment the section 8 of the stick has an extension 20 extending therefrom which fits between two arms 21 extending from the end of the stick section 7, the extension 20 and arms 21 being pivotally connected together at The upper edges of the extension 20 and arms 21 slant downwardly and the pull cord 1-1 is looped about the extension 20 and arms 21 at the pivotal point. The downward inclination of the upper edges 23 serves to retain the pull cord in its proper central position. This constructionoperates as above described, that is. if either end of the stick tends to catch in the draperies or tie-baeks said end will yield upwardly sufliciently to allow it to wipe by the obstruction.

While I have herein shown the stick as being formed in two sections which are flexibly connected together yet it will be obvious that the stick may have a greater number of sections than two if desired, the important thing being that thestick is flexible so that the ends can swing upwardly and thus automatically free itself from the tie-backs or draperies in case they tend to become caught therein.

This same ob'ect can be secured by making the stick of flexible material rather than making it jointed. Such a construction is shown in Fig. 7 wherein the stick 24 at the bottom of the shade 1 may be made of rubber or some other flexible material which will permit the ends to flex upwardly in case they become caught in the draperies or tie-backs.

I claim:

1. A window shade having a flexible stick secured to its lower edge which normally holds the lower edge flat, and a pull device secured to the curtain centrally at its lower edge, the flexibility of the stick permitting the-ends thereof and the portions of the shade secured to said ends to bend upwardly in case they meet an obstruction as the shade is drawn.

2. A window shade having a hem at its lower edge and a flexible stick located within the hem, the ends of the stickand the corresponding portions of the hem being free to swing upwardly relative to the central portions.

3. A window shade having a hem at its-lower end and an articulated stick located within the hem, the ends of the stick-and the corresponding portions of the hem being free to swing upwardly relative to the central portion of the stick and 'hem.

4. A window shade having a hem at its 'low or end, a two-part stick located within the hem for holding the lower end of the shade flat and a wire loop intermediate'the stick sections and to which they are hinged to permit the ends to swing upwardly. I

5. A window shade having a hem at its lower end. a two-part stick located within the hem, one section of the stick having an extension at its inner end and the other section having two arms between which the extension is received, and means pivotally connecting said extension and arms.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

CARL BRANDT. 

